Handle-bar for bicycles



NlE Sterne JOHN ALVIN MCCOLLUM AND EDYVIN JAMES KNOLL, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

HANDLE-BAR FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,266, dated January 12, 1897. Application filed February 26, 1896. Serial No.580,896. (No model.)

To alt whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JoHN ALVIN McCon- LUM and EDWIN JAMES KNOLL, of Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Handle-Bar for Bicycles and the Like,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention is an improvement in bicycle-handles Whose arms are adjustable for the purpose of enabling them to be placed in different positions or angles.

The invention is embodied in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing a handle-bar constructed in accordance with our invention, the end portions of the arms and of the stem being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the head at the upper end of the stem in section, so as to illustrate the gearingcontained therein for connecting the arms; and Fig. 3 is an inverted horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the line a, a in Fig. 2.

In the views, 1 indicates the stem or upright portion of the handlebar, of circular form in cross-section, being of a diameter adapted to fit in the upper end of the steering-post and be clamped therein in the ordinary way. In the upper end of the stem lis formed a casing or head having front and rear Walls 2, said casing being elongated horizontally, as clearly shown in the drawings, and having its ends open, as indicated at 3, to receive the flattened inner ends of the arms 4, which are pivoted between the front and rear faces of the casing or head on bolts or the like, as indicated at 5.

The pivoted end portions of the arms 4 are flattened and enlarged slightly, as seen in Fig. 2, being of a somewhat rounded or circular form, and on their adjacent rounded faces or peripheries these pivoted end portions of the arms are provided with teeth or serrations 6, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said teeth or serrations being adapted to mesh with corresponding teeth or serrations 8, formed on opposite sides of a verticallymovable rack or slide-bar 7, held in the head or casing between the pivoted ends of said arms. The rack 7 is of a width adapted to fit at its lower end and move vertically in the lower open end of the stem or upright portion 1 of the handle-bar, and to receive the upper end of said rack or s1ide-bar 7 we provide the head or casing with an upwardlyextendin g chamber 9, alined with the stem 1 of the handle-bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

By the construction of the device as above described it will be seen that when either of the arms 1 is moved upwardly, so as to be raised or lowered, it will act by reason of the gearing between the inner ends of the arms and the slide-bar or rack 7 to correspondingly raise or lower the other arm 4., so that both arms will be raised and lowered in unison, and in order to lock the arms in position when adjusted we provide the casing or head with a chamber 10, projecting from one of its walls 2 at right angles to the plane in which the rack 7 moves, in which chamber is guided a pin or key 11, having its outer end projecting from the chamber and enlarged, as indicated at 12 in the drawings, and having its extremity forked and arranged with its arms 13 embracing the opposite sides of the rack 7 and adapted to engage between the teeth 8 on said rack, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The extremities of the arms 13 are arranged to engage apertures 14:, formed in the wall 2 of the casing or head opposite to that wall on which the chamber 10 is formed, and the key 11 is capable of being drawn out longitudinally, so as to disengage its arms 13 from the teeth 8 of the rack 7, but is provided with a spring 15, arranged to hold said arms normally connected with said teeth.

By the construction of the device as above described it will be evident that the angle at which the handle-bar stands maybe conveniently varied by merely withdrawing the key so as to permit the arms 4 of the handle-bar to be moved toward or from each other, after which said key may be released, and the spring 15 will at once cause the arms 13 of the key to engage the rack and lock the arms in their adjusted positions.

The device is of an extremely simple and inexpensive construction and is well adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, since it is strong and durable, and is, moreover, capable of ready and convenient operation, and it Will be obvious from the above description that the invention is susceptible of some modification Without material departure from its principles or spirit, and for this reason We do not Wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise form of the parts herein set forth.

Having thus described our invention, We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An adjustable handle-bar for bicycles and the like, comprising a stem, lateral arms pivotally connected with the stem and provided with gear-faces, a rack movable longitudinally between the arms and provided with gear-faces meshing with the gear-faces on the arms, anda key having forks arranged to engage the teeth on said rack, substantially as set forth.

2. An adjustable handle-bar for bicycles and the like, comprising a stem, lateral arms pivotally connected with the stem and provided with gear-faces, a rack movable longitudinally between the arms and provided with gear-faces meshing with the gear-faces on the arms, a key having forks arranged to engage the teeth on said rack, and a spring to hold said key with its forks normally engaged with said teeth, substantially as set forth.

JOHN ALVIN MOCOLLUM. EDWIN JAMES KNOLL. Witnesses:

ALBERT N. YOUNGLOVE, FRANK C. SWEETSER. 

